Auxiliary power unit inlet

ABSTRACT

An aircraft auxiliary power unit assembly includes an aircraft skin that provides a cavity. It is secured to a structure in an assembled condition and it provides an opening. An auxiliary power unit is arranged within the cavity and is secured to the structure. The aircraft skin substantially covers the auxiliary power unit in the assembled condition. An inlet duct that is removable is secured within the opening and is selectively connected to the auxiliary power unit between the installed and service positions. The installed and service positions are with the aircraft skin in the assembled condition.

This disclosure is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser.No. 13/173,447 filed on 30 Jun. 2011.

BACKGROUND

This disclosure relates to an aircraft auxiliary power unit assembly,which includes an inlet duct arranged at an aircraft skin. Thedisclosure also relates to a method of servicing the auxiliary powerunit while keeping the aircraft skin in place.

Auxiliary power units (APU) are commonly used in aircraft to provideemergency power for various aircraft systems. Typically, the APU ismounted to structural members within a tail cone of the aircraft.Aircraft skin is secured to the structural members, such as theairframe, to enclose the APU. To service components of the APU, such asline replaceable units (LRUs), portions of the skin must be removed toprovide sufficient access to the LRUs.

An inlet duct is typically integral with a housing of the APU. The inletduct extends from the APU and seals against an interior surface of theaircraft skin within the cavity. The inlet duct cannot be removed untilthe skin is removed from the airframe.

SUMMARY

In one exemplary embodiment, an aircraft auxiliary power unit assemblyincludes an aircraft skin that provides a cavity. It is secured to astructure in an assembled condition and it provides an opening. Anauxiliary power unit is arranged within the cavity and is secured to thestructure. The aircraft skin substantially covers the auxiliary powerunit in the assembled condition. An inlet duct that is removable issecured within the opening and is selectively connected to the auxiliarypower unit between the installed and service positions. The installedand service positions are with the aircraft skin in the assembledcondition.

In a further embodiment of the above, the aircraft skin provides a tailcone. An outer surface is provided on an exterior side opposite thecavity. The aircraft skin includes a skin flange that defines theopening. The inlet duct has a duct flange secured to the skin flange inthe installed position with fastening elements.

In a further embodiment any of the above, the inlet duct includes apassage and a screen arranged over the passage. The outer surfaceprovides a contour. The screen is generally arranged along the contourand affixed within the opening in the installed position.

In a further embodiment any of the above, the auxiliary power unitincludes line replaceable units including at least one of a fuel controlunit, a speed sensor, and an igniter. The line replaceable units areremovable through the opening with the inlet duct removed to the serviceposition.

In another exemplary embodiment, an inlet duct for an auxiliary powerunit includes a duct which defines a passage. First and second flangesare arranged on the duct at opposite ends of the passage. The firstflange includes apertures that are configured to receive fasteningelements. A seal is secured to the second flange. Silencing elements arearranged within the passage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosure can be further understood by reference to the followingdetailed description when considered in connection with the accompanyingdrawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an APU arranged within a tail cone.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the APU and an inlet duct.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the inlet duct.

FIG. 4 is a one perspective view of the APU with the inlet duct removedto service the APU.

FIG. 5 is another perspective view of the APU with the inlet ductremoved to service the APU.

FIG. 6A is a cross-sectional view of a first arrangement of the inletduct secured to an aircraft skin.

FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view of a second arrangement of the inletduct secured to the aircraft skin.

FIG. 6C is a cross-sectional view of a third arrangement of the inletduct secured to the aircraft skin.

FIG. 6D is a cross-sectional view of a fourth arrangement of the inletduct secured to the aircraft skin.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1, an auxiliary power unit (APU) 10 is shown arrangedin a cavity 11 of a tail cone 12. The APU 10 is mounted to a structuralmember 13. The APU 10 includes a gearbox 14 through which a generator 16is mechanically driven in response to rotation of a shaft-mountedcompressor and turbine (not shown). Air from the exterior of the tailcone 12 is supplied through an inlet duct 18 to the compressor. Thecompressed air, once expanded across the turbine, is expelled through anexhaust duct 20.

An aircraft skin 22 is secured to the structural member 13 in anassembled condition in which the aircraft is prepared for flight. Theskin 22 provides an outer surface 23 on an exterior side of the skin 22opposite the cavity 11. The outer surface 23 provides an aerodynamicouter mold line or contour of the tail cone 12. The inlet duct 18 issecured to the skin 22.

Referring to FIG. 2, the APU 10 includes an inlet housing 24 having ahousing flange 26. The inlet duct 18 defines a passage 38 provided by aneck 31 and includes first and second duct flanges 28, 30 arranged onopposite ends of the neck 31. The first duct flange 28 is secured to askin flange 62 (see FIGS. 4 and 5) provided by the skin 22. In theexample, the skin flange 62 is recessed from the adjoining outer surface23 (FIG. 1). A seal 32 is secured to the second duct flange 30 withfastening elements 34. In one example, the seal 32 is a bellow-type sealthat seals against the housing flange 26, enabling removal of the inletduct 18 while the APU 10 remains secured to the structural member 13.

The inlet housing 18 is configured to reduce inlet noise duringoperation of the APU 10. The body of the inlet duct 18 may beconstructed from a fiberglass with a phenolic resin or carbon fibercomposite. It should be understood that any suitable material may beused, for example, metallic and/or non-metallic materials. A firstsilencing element 36, in the example, two silencing elements, isarranged within the passage 38 and extends between a wall 40 andopposite ends of the inlet duct 18. The leading edge of the firstsilencing element 36 includes a wear resistant structure. The wall 40includes a second silencing element 42 circumscribing at least a portionof the passage 38. The wall 40 protrudes outward from the passage 38 toenable the second silencing element 42 to be arranged generally flushwith the adjoining passage wall. In one example, the first and secondsilencing elements 36, 42 may include a sound-deadening structureconstructed from an aluminum honeycomb to which a porous mesh is adheredwith resin.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a screen assembly 44 is arranged over theentry of the inlet duct 18. The screen assembly 44 may be a separatestructure from the inlet duct 18 (as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3) orintegrated therewith. In one example, the screen assembly 44 includes aperimeter element 43 surrounding and supporting a screen 45. The screenassembly 44 generally lies within the contour provided by the outersurface 23 in an installed position, as illustrated in FIG. 3.

Apertures 46 extend through the perimeter element 43 (if a separatescreen assembly is used), the first duct flange 28 and the skin flange62 (as shown in FIG. 4). Fastening elements 66 (see FIGS. 6A-6D) securethe inlet duct 18 to the skin 22. The fastening elements 66 may be aflat machine screw and nut, for example. The outermost structure (in theexample, the perimeter element 43) includes a chamfer 48 circumscribingeach aperture 46 to accommodate a countersunk head and provide a moreaerodynamic surface.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, with the inlet duct 18 and screen assembly44 removed from the skin 22 in a service position in which the inletduct 18 is remote from the skin 22, APU components, such as linereplaceable units (LRUs), may be serviced through the opening 50.Example LRUs include a fuel control unit 52, a speed sensor 56 and anigniter 60. The fuel control unit 52 may be replaced by loosening aclamp 54. An oil cooler 58 also may be serviced and cleaned through theopening 50.

Referring to FIG. 6A-6D, multiple configurations of securing the inletduct 18 to the skin flange 62 of the skin 22 are shown. The arrangementsare exemplary, and it should be understood that different arrangementsor combinations of the illustrated arrangements may be used. The inletduct/screen assembly is arranged generally flush with the outer surface23.

In an example shown in FIGS. 6A, the screen 145 is integrated with theinlet duct 18. The first duct flange 128 is seated against the skinflange 62. A retainer 64 is provided over the first duct flange 128 andthe outer surface 23 and secured by fastening elements 66 to retain theinlet duct 118 in the installed position.

Referring to FIG. 6B, a reinforcing washer 68 is embedded into the firstduct flange 228, which prevents composite-constructed inlet ducts frombecoming crushed or cracked during installation of the inlet duct. Theinlet duct 218 is secured to the skin flange 62 by the fastening element66.

FIG. 6C illustrates a cross-sectional view of the inlet duct 18 andscreen assembly 44, shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, secured to the skin flange62 with fastening element 66 arranged through the first duct flange 28.

Referring to FIG. 6D, a gasket 70 is provided between the inlet duct 118and the skin flange 62 and secured by fastening elements 66.

In operation, the method of servicing the APU 10 includes removing theinlet duct 18 (from the installed position) from the opening 50 in theskin 22 while the skin 22 remains secured to the structural member 13 inthe assembled condition. The fastening elements 66 are removed, and thefirst duct flange 28 is unseated from the skin flange 62 that isprovided around the opening 50. If the screen assembly 44 is separate,it is removed from the opening 50. The neck 31 is withdrawn from thecavity 11 through the opening 50 to the exterior side of the 22 (serviceposition). The seal 32 is unseated from the housing flange 26, in theexample.

The APU 10 is exposed with the inlet duct 18 removed, and a portion ofthe APU 10 is serviceable through the opening 50. An auxiliary powerunit component can be serviced with the APU 10 in place within thecavity 11. For example, LRUs, such as the fuel control unit 52, thespeed sensor 56, and the igniter 60, can be replaced.

Although an example embodiment has been disclosed, a worker of ordinaryskill in this art would recognize that certain modifications would comewithin the scope of the claims. For that reason, the following claimsshould be studied to determine their true scope and content.

The invention claimed is:
 1. An aircraft auxiliary power unit assembly comprising: an auxiliary power unit configured to be installed within a cavity provided by an aircraft skin and the auxillary power unit configured to be secured to an aircraft structure with the aircraft skin substantially covering the auxiliary power unit; an inlet duct configured to be removably secured within a fixed opening in the aircraft skin and selectively connected to the auxiliary power unit between installed and service positions; wherein the installed and service positions are within the aircraft skin, and the service position is further configured to have the inlet duct detached from the aircraft skin and the structure, wherein the inlet duct is configured to be removed and installed through the opening as an assembled unit.
 2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the aircraft skin provides a tail cone and an outer surface is provided on an exterior side opposite the cavity, the aircraft skin including a skin flange defining the opening, and the inlet duct having a duct flange secured to the skin flange in the installed position with fastening elements.
 3. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein the inlet duct includes a passage and a screen is arranged over the passage, the outer surface providing a contour and the screen generally arranged along the contour and affixed within the opening in the installed position.
 4. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein the opening includes an opening perimeter circumscribing a portion of the duct, and the duct defines a passage and includes first and second flanges arranged on the duct at opposite ends of the passage, the first flange arranged exteriorly of the aircraft skin on a side opposite the cavity, the first flange having an outer perimeter larger than the opening perimeter.
 5. The assembly according to claim 4, comprising a screen supported by the first flange.
 6. The assembly according to claim 4, wherein the first flange includes apertures configured to receive fastening elements that are removably secured to the aircraft skin between the installed and the service positions.
 7. The assembly according to claim 1, the auxiliary power unit includes line replaceable units that include at least one of a fuel control unit, a speed sensor, and an igniter, the line replaceable units removable through the opening with the inlet duct removed to the service position.
 8. An inlet duct for an auxiliary power unit comprising: an inlet duct configured to be removably secured within an opening in an aircraft skin and selectively connected to an auxiliary power unit between installed and service positions; the inlet duct defining a passage and including first and second flanges arranged on the duct at opposite ends of the passage, the first flange including apertures configured to receive fastening elements, the first flange having an outer perimeter configured to be larger than the opening within which the first flange is to be secured relative to in the installed position, wherein the inlet duct is configured to be removed and installed through the opening as an assembled unit; a seal secured to the second flange; and silencing elements arranged within the passage. 